28 December 2017

Friday Abstinence

On 16 October 2014, a Spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales announced that the Friday within the Octave of Christmas is never [in England and Wales] a day of Abstinence.

I'd feel happier with the CBCEW's now apparently perennial insistence on our inalienable right to carry on stuffing ourselves merrily on the Friday of the Octave of Christmas, if they occasionally drew attention to the pressing obligation to strict abstinence - and penitence - on the other Fridays of the year.Ah, 'But everyone knows'?? Really? That's not my experience. And how will they learn, if they are never reminded?

This comes up every year. The law assigns that competence to the episcopal conference, of course. But if the spokesman is purporting to interpret the universal law, rather than articulate a particular law for England and Wales made by the episcopal conference, he is mistaken.

Fr John Hunwicke

was for nearly three decades at Lancing College; where he taught Latin and Greek language and literature, was Head of Theology, and Assistant Chaplain. He has served three curacies, been a Parish Priest, and Senior Research Fellow at Pusey House in Oxford. Since 2011, he has been in full communion with the See of S Peter. The opinions expressed on this Blog are not asserted as being those of the Magisterium of the Church, but as the writer's opinions as a private individual. Nevertheless, the writer strives, hopes, and prays that the views he expresses are conformable with and supportive of the Magisterium. In this blog, the letters PF stand for Pope Francis.